TPHS vs. LCC Annual Beach Bowl Game on Friday, Oct. 26

The final regular season week of high school football games in San Diego County is, traditionally, “rivalry week,” and there is no healthier rivalry than between Torrey Pines and La Costa Canyon. Not only is it an important Avocado League game, but this Friday’s contest will crown the San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) champion in the 13th annual “Beach Bowl” with the awarding of the Golden Surfboard.

The Beach Bowl game is a fun way for the entire school district of beach communities to celebrate its strong academic and athletic programs, and crown the SDUHSD football champion for the year. Kick-off will be at 7 p.m. at La Costa Canyon High School in La Costa. As usual, a large and enthusiastic crowd is expected.

In addition to the prestigious Golden Surfboard trophy being at stake, deemed the most unique rivalry trophy in the county by the San Diego Union-Tribune, the game is an important Avocado-West League match for both teams. The Falcons will be looking to keep their undefeated overall record (8-0) intact, currently ranked number one in the county. La Costa Canyon has lost two games to league rivals ranked in the county’s top 10, for a 2-2 Avocado-West League record and 6-2 overall . This final game of the regular season will be pivotal in determining the final seedings for both teams in the CIF playoffs.

Last year’s Beach Bowl saw the Mavericks reclaim the Golden Surfboard with a victory over their rivals on the Falcons’ field. Torrey Pines achieved revenge later in the CIF playoffs, however.

Also in the spirit of the friendly district rivalry, the traditional “Survivor” competition between student representatives from both schools will be held at halftime, featuring a variety of fun and athletic contests.

Senior students in male and female categories at both schools compete in daily physical contests during the week leading up to the Beach Bowl to determine each campus’ representatives in the final Survivor showdown for further district bragging rights on Friday night.

Adding to the local flavor of the Beach Bowl theme is San Diego County’s most unique trophy, the Golden Surfboard, a work of art created 13 years ago by students of LCC art teacher, recently retired Ron Lenc, out of a surfboard donated by then-science teacher Jerry Trust. The work of art symbolizes the SDUHSD and the history of the north-south rivalry, going back to 1974 and the days of San Dieguito High School. The current rivals’ school colors and logos are also represented on the Golden Surfboard.

The rivalry in the SDUHSD began in 1974 between San Dieguito and Torrey Pines high schools. Due to population growth in the district, Torrey Pines opened in the southern part of the district to serve the communities of Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, and, later, Carmel Valley. Students from Encinitas, Cardiff, Leucadia, La Costa, Olivenhain, and northern Rancho Santa Fe continued to attend San Dieguito High School in Encinitas.

As the northern end of the SDUHSD continued to experience a building boom, LCC replaced the smaller SDHS campus in 1996, and so the north-south rivalry became Torrey Pines versus La Costa Canyon. SDHS transformed into San Dieguito Academy the same year.